Big Burro Mountains
Encyclopedia
The Big Burro Mountains are a moderate length 35 mile (56 km) long, mountain range
located in central Grant County, New Mexico
. The range's northwest-southeast 'ridgeline' is located 15 mi southwest of Silver City
.
The southeast end of the range has the Continental Divide of the Americas crossing the range over Burro Peak and traversing from Silver City, the Pinos Altos Range, and then the adjacent Little Burro Mountains
attached to the Big Burro's on the southeast.
The northwest region of the range has the Gila River
traversing on a course from the Gila Wilderness
, north of Silver City, and the Gila on its excursion towards Arizona, being one of the major areal river basins of the arid Sonoran Desert
of central and southern Arizona
. On the other hand, the Big Burro Mountains are on the northwest perimeter of the Chihuahuan Desert
as it extends into southern New Mexico
through the Playas
and Animas Valley
s.
area north of Silver City, and the northern headlands of the two north-south valleys to the southwest, the Animas and Playas Valleys.
The adjacent region northwest at the Arizona
border is the White Mountains
and Mogollon Rim
region, and the east of the Arizona transition zone
; the transition zone effectively continues into western New Mexico, and has an eastern perimeter as it borders the western and southwestern area of the Plains of San Agustin, about 70 mi north of the Big Burro Mountains. Many mountain ranges in this region are not easily defined with mountain range perimeters.
–Gila
at the north; Red Rock at the west; Silver City
–Tyrone
at the east; and White Signal at the southeast.
, it passes across the water divide
of the north Playas Valley
, west of Hachita. It finally enters a series of north-south ranges, including the Pyramid
and Animas Mountains
, and traverses south into northwest Chihuahua, Mexico.
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Big Burro Mountains
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Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
located in central Grant County, New Mexico
Grant County, New Mexico
-2010:Whereas according to the 2010 U.S. Census Bureau:*84.9% White*0.9% Black*1.4% Native American*0.4% Asian*0.1% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander*2.8% Two or more races*9.8% Other races*48.3% Hispanic or Latino -2000:...
. The range's northwest-southeast 'ridgeline' is located 15 mi southwest of Silver City
Silver City, New Mexico
Silver City is a town in Grant County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 10,545. It is the county seat of Grant County. The city is the home of Western New Mexico University.-History:...
.
The southeast end of the range has the Continental Divide of the Americas crossing the range over Burro Peak and traversing from Silver City, the Pinos Altos Range, and then the adjacent Little Burro Mountains
Little Burro Mountains
The Little Burro Mountains are a short 15 mi long, mountain range located in Grant County, New Mexico. The range lies adjacent to the southeast border of the larger Big Burro Mountains. The Little Burro Mountains are located 8 mi southwest of Silver City...
attached to the Big Burro's on the southeast.
The northwest region of the range has the Gila River
Gila River
The Gila River is a tributary of the Colorado River, 650 miles long, in the southwestern states of New Mexico and Arizona.-Description:...
traversing on a course from the Gila Wilderness
Gila Wilderness
Gila Wilderness was designated the world's first wilderness area on June 3, 1924. Along with Aldo Leopold Wilderness and Blue Range Wilderness, the wilderness is part of New Mexico's Gila National Forest. The wilderness is approximately from north to south and east to west...
, north of Silver City, and the Gila on its excursion towards Arizona, being one of the major areal river basins of the arid Sonoran Desert
Sonoran Desert
The Sonoran Desert is a North American desert which straddles part of the United States-Mexico border and covers large parts of the U.S. states of Arizona and California and the northwest Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur. It is one of the largest and hottest...
of central and southern Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
. On the other hand, the Big Burro Mountains are on the northwest perimeter of the Chihuahuan Desert
Chihuahuan Desert
The Chihuahuan Desert is a desert, and an ecoregion designation, that straddles the U.S.-Mexico border in the central and northern portions of the Mexican Plateau, bordered on the west by the extensive Sierra Madre Occidental range, and overlaying northern portions of the east range, the Sierra...
as it extends into southern New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
through the Playas
Playas Valley
The Playas Valley is a lengthy and narrow 60-mi long, valley located in Hidalgo County, New Mexico in the Bootheel Region; the extreme south of the valley lies in Chihuahua. Playas, NM is located in the northeast...
and Animas Valley
Animas Valley
The Animas Valley is a lengthy and narrow, north-south 85 mi long, valley located in western Hidalgo County, New Mexico in the Bootheel Region; the extreme south of the valley lies in Chihuahua, in the northwest of the Chihuahuan Desert, the large desert region of the north-central Mexican...
s.
Description
The Big Burro Mountains are 35 mi long with various widths up to 12–18 mi. The range is in a transitional point between the Gila WildernessGila Wilderness
Gila Wilderness was designated the world's first wilderness area on June 3, 1924. Along with Aldo Leopold Wilderness and Blue Range Wilderness, the wilderness is part of New Mexico's Gila National Forest. The wilderness is approximately from north to south and east to west...
area north of Silver City, and the northern headlands of the two north-south valleys to the southwest, the Animas and Playas Valleys.
The adjacent region northwest at the Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
border is the White Mountains
White Mountains (Arizona)
The White Mountains of Arizona are a mountain range and mountainous region in the eastern part of the state, near the border with New Mexico; it is a continuation from the west of the Arizona transition zone–Mogollon Rim, with the Rim ending in western New Mexico...
and Mogollon Rim
Mogollon Rim
The Mogollon Rim is a topographical and geological feature running across the U.S. state of Arizona. It extends approximately from northern Yavapai County eastward to near the border with New Mexico.-Description:...
region, and the east of the Arizona transition zone
Arizona transition zone
The Arizona transition zone, or Transition zone is a diagonal northwest-by-southeast region across central Arizona. The region is a transition from the higher elevation Colorado Plateau to the northeast in Northeast Arizona and the Basin and Range region of southwest and south regions of lower...
; the transition zone effectively continues into western New Mexico, and has an eastern perimeter as it borders the western and southwestern area of the Plains of San Agustin, about 70 mi north of the Big Burro Mountains. Many mountain ranges in this region are not easily defined with mountain range perimeters.
Peaks
The highest peak in the Big Burro Mountains is Burro Peak, at 8035 feet (2,449 m). It is located at 32.590635°N 108.432827°W. Bullard Peak, 7064 feet (2,153 m), is the approximate center of the range.Access
The Big Burro Mountains have easy access being surrounded by various population centers: CliffCliff, New Mexico
Cliff is an unincorporated community in Grant County, New Mexico, United States.-History:Cliff and the nearby town of Gila were settled in 1884, in the Gila River Valley. The area was and is primarily a ranching and farming community...
–Gila
Gila, New Mexico
Gila is an unincorporated town in Grant County, New Mexico, United States. It is 30 miles northwest to Silver City, New Mexico.-History:Gila and the nearby town of Cliff were settled in 1884. The area was and is primarily a ranching and farming community...
at the north; Red Rock at the west; Silver City
Silver City, New Mexico
Silver City is a town in Grant County, New Mexico, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 10,545. It is the county seat of Grant County. The city is the home of Western New Mexico University.-History:...
–Tyrone
Tyrone, New Mexico
Tyrone is a ghost town located in Grant County, New Mexico, United States, in the southwestern part of the state.Tyrone was an elaborately planned community financed by the Phelps Dodge Corporation, based on Mediterranean and European styles, designed by well-known architect Bertram Goodhue and...
at the east; and White Signal at the southeast.
Continental Divide
The Continental Divide starts to leave the forested mountain regions as it goes southwest from Silver City. It passes from the southern Little Burro Mountains, crosses the Big Burro's, then on a circuitous route after skirting the northeast region of the Cedar Mountain RangeCedar Mountain Range
The Cedar Mountain Range is a short 20 mi long, mountain range in southwest Luna County, New Mexico just north of the Mexico-United States border with Chihuahua....
, it passes across the water divide
Water divide
A drainage divide, water divide, divide or watershed is the line separating neighbouring drainage basins...
of the north Playas Valley
Playas Valley
The Playas Valley is a lengthy and narrow 60-mi long, valley located in Hidalgo County, New Mexico in the Bootheel Region; the extreme south of the valley lies in Chihuahua. Playas, NM is located in the northeast...
, west of Hachita. It finally enters a series of north-south ranges, including the Pyramid
Pyramid Mountains
The Pyramid Mountains are a 30 mi long, mountain range in central-east Hidalgo County, New Mexico. The city of Lordsburg is at its northern border, where the range causes Interstate 10 to traverse northeast, then southeast around the range....
and Animas Mountains
Animas Mountains
The Animas Mountains are a small mountain range in Hidalgo County, within the "Boot-Heel" region of far southwestern New Mexico, in the United States. They extend north-south for about 30 miles along the Continental Divide, from near the town of Animas to a few miles north of the border with...
, and traverses south into northwest Chihuahua, Mexico.
External links
Range highpoint, Burro Peak–(Continental Divide)----
Big Burro Mountains
- Big Burro Mountains Range, mountainzone.com
- Bullard Peak Summit, (approximate range center), coordinates
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